


That Time the Ex Showed Up

by i_amthecosmos, magdalyna



Series: The Small Town Series [8]
Category: Fall Out Boy, One Direction (Band)
Genre: 80's AU, Jealousy, M/M, Marine Andy, past relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 15:57:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6711577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_amthecosmos/pseuds/i_amthecosmos, https://archiveofourown.org/users/magdalyna/pseuds/magdalyna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam and Louis are joined by a third party: Andy, Liam's ex-Sarge when he was in the Marines. Louis tries and fails to not be jealous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Time the Ex Showed Up

It was another night at Bob’s for Louis. He had a long day of inhaling perm fumes and now he was sharing a few drinks with Liam. The music was pounding, Zayn and Niall were kissing in the booth next to them, and Liam was holding Louis by his hips, keeping him close. Liam was always a little possessive. 

They were kissing slowly when there was someone hovering nearby, making Louis pull back and glare at them. He found himself facing a muscled man with short hair, no beard, and a ton of tattoos. He looked at Louis and gave him a nervous smile. Just then, Liam looked up at him and Louis saw his jaw drop. 

“Hurley?” Liam’s face squinched up in an adorable grin, and he hugged the tattooed man fiercely. Louis felt his stomach drop somewhere around his ankles. Hurley, he remembered that name. It was Liam’s ex-officer in the Marines, the one he’d been fucking, the one that was suspiciously absent when Liam got kicked out. Louis stood his ground, staring at the interloper as he and Liam talked excitedly. Louis couldn’t hear most of it, but they were really catching up.

“Hey!” Liam said, as an afterthought. “Hurley, meet Louis. This is my boyfriend, been with him a few years now.” Louis looked at the guy, and forced a grin. Hurley looked a bit amused, and Louis wanted to tear his liver out. Since he was a Marine, Lou’s chances wouldn’t be too good if he tried.

“Hi, you can call me Andy, although I don’t mind if Liam calls me Hurley,” Andy said, and Louis nodded and shook the hand Andy offered him. Andy had good hands and tattooed knuckles, and Louis figured he must be out of the Marines if he was that inked up. 

Liam and Andy kept talking, and Louis hung on Liam, only hearing a stray word here and there, until Liam said “Hey, let’s go to the Waffle House”. Andy laughed and said something else, and Liam answered “Well, you can drink the coffee, at least.” Then they headed toward the door, Louis holding on to Liam’s hand.

At the Waffle House, Louis got a plate of eggs n’ cheese and poked at it as Liam and Andy kept talking. Liam would get a bite of Louis’s hash browns every now and then, and Andy just drank coffee. He’d told Louis he was a vegan, and Louis thought he couldn’t possibly have been one in the Marines. 

“When did you leave the Marines? I couldn’t hear a word you two were saying in Bob’s.” 

Andy’s look was apologetic. “I started thinking about it after Liam was kicked out. I tried putting in a good word, but there wasn’t much I could do. So I just waited until my time came up and then I didn’t renew. Since I left, I’ve been rethinking a lot of things about my life.”

Louis nodded. He could see that. “What are you doing?” He figures he can ask. Liam looked over at him and squeezed his hand under the table. 

“I’m working with at risk youth, helping them not mess up their lives. It’s a good fit with someone like me, better than the Marines were. I’m glad I’m done with that phase of my life, even though I wouldn’t take it back.” Liam grinned all soppy at that.

“I’m glad to hear you tried to help Liam,” Louis said. He decided he would take that from it. Liam had a lot of doubt about Hurley’s role in his expulsion, and Louis was glad that was over. He believed Hurley, it seemed to fit with him that he would help. 

He was still an asshole for fucking someone he was in charge of, so there was that. Louis sipped some of his coffee to cover that thought. 

“Thanks,” Andy said, and he smiled as if he wanted to win Louis over. Louis put his eyes back on his plate as Liam started talking again, voice excited. He had really missed Hurley. 

That thought left Louis feeling pretty much like third best. Louis finished his food and got more refills on his coffee, feeling jealous and wretched and just generally miserable. After a while he poked Liam. “I want to go home,” he said. “Andy, how long are you in town, can we see you later?” He wanted to kick himself for saying that, but he’d rather Liam saw Andy when he was around rather than alone. 

“I’m staying a motel not far from here.” Louis figured it might be the one that Liam had been staying at when they met, but he didn’t ask further. “I just wanted to see how Liam was doing. Maybe we can meet up tomorrow, I’m just driving around for a little while.” 

“You can come by if you want,” Liam said, and Louis stared at him. Tomorrow was Saturday, the day they usually spent lounging at home when he was done with his half-shift at the salon. They didn’t spend Saturday with anyone else, not even Louis’s family. 

“Sure, unless that isn’t a good day for you.” Louis wondered if he was being really obvious, but at least Hurley could see it if Liam couldn’t. “Maybe for dinner, or Sunday night.” 

Liam turned to look at Louis then. “Maybe Sunday night,” Liam said, and Louis felt relieved. “We can fix something for dinner, although I don’t cook vegan normally.” 

“Pasta is fine,” Hurley said. Liam squeezed Louis’s hand under the table again. “I should go, I need to sleep. Do you two live that far?” 

“Nope, we can drop you off if you like,” Liam said, but Andy claimed he had a rental. Eventually, they got out of that booth and made their way to the parking lot, Liam and Andy still talking. Louis stood close to Liam as they kept on talking. Eventually Liam gave Andy a big hug (Louis gritted his teeth), and then Andy shook his hand again, and they were going to their car. 

When they got home, Louis just got ready for bed as Liam kept going on about finally seeing Andy. “And now I know he didn’t just leave me in the wind, he tried to help me.” Louis nodded, since he agreed this was an important thing to know. 

Louis spit a mouthful of toothpaste out. “Okay, so. Do you want us to cook for Andy Sunday night? You know the only thing I can make is Kraft mac and cheese, and he’s a vegan.” 

“I’ll think of something.” Liam looked so happy and excited as he hugged Louis from behind, Louis looking at Liam’s face reflected in the mirror, and reminded himself not to crush Liam’s good mood with his jealousy. “I might ask him. I don’t know what he likes really.”

“He’d probably be happy with spaghetti,” Louis said, and he turned to hug Liam properly before heading to bed. While Liam got ready, Louis turned towards the wall and thought. The evil ex was back, and he actually seemed like a decent guy. Louis sighed. He could have done without this.

…

When Andy came over on Sunday night, Liam fretted and went back to the grocery store three times before they settled on something they could fix. “I just wish we had some tofu, but the Piggly Wiggly doesn’t have it,” he said, as he made a tomato-based pasta sauce.

“Andy said he couldn’t stand tofu anyway, don’t you remember?” Louis was sitting on one of their recliners, watching TV, pointedly not helping with the meal Liam was throwing together. He flipped through a People magazine they had lying around, as Liam stumbled through making dinner. Finally Liam appeared in front of him, at his wits end. “Yes?”

“A little help here? You don’t have to cook anything, just help me chop.” 

“All right.” Louis got up and went to their kitchenette, and saw a bunch of veggies about to be made into pasta sauce. Liam already had a pot of water on to boil, and a bottle of wine. “How small do you want these chopped anyway?” 

“Just medium dice, except for the onion. Do that smaller.” Louis wasn’t even sure what ‘medium dice’ was supposed to mean, but he started chopping them reasonably small, and that got Liam off his ass. 

After a few minutes of tedious chopping, the doorbell rang. Liam headed to the door like a shot, and Louis rolled his eyes. He had to steel himself for this, for his boyfriend’s ex in their space. He heard Liam saying “Hey!” and turned to see them hugging. He put his attention back on the veggies before he accidently cut his own finger. 

“Thanks for inviting me over,” he could hear Andy say, and he looked up to seeing him standing in the doorway of the kitchen. He was smiling, but it was a little strained around the edges. Louis thought that maybe this was just as awkward for Hurley as it was for him. 

Louis took a deep breath. “No problem,” he said, and Andy nodded a little. Liam got the wine and poured a glass. Louis watched as Andy held his hand up.

“No thanks. I don’t drink, I’m straight edge.” Liam looked confused, and Andy said “I don’t drink, do drugs, or eat animals. It’s for philosophical reasons, you could say.”

“Yeah,” Louis said, without thinking of it, and Hurley looked back at him. “I have a teenage cousin in Atlanta, he’s into that too. He puts on punk shows there. He’s a good kid, but I have no idea what he’s talking about when we talk about music.” 

Hurley nodded at him then, smile spreading across his face. Liam laughed. “Louis has so much family, I can’t keep up with them all.” Liam put the wine back. “Do you mind if we have any of this? I know Louis likes a drink with dinner sometimes.”

“I don’t mind,” was all Hurley said. Louis went back to chopping his vegetables, and a half-full glass of wine appeared next to the chopping board. He looked up and Liam winked at him. He grinned and went back to work. 

Liam and Hurley made small talk for a few minutes. Soon Louis was done chopping, and he moved out of the kitchen with his wine glass as Liam took over the cooking. Then suddenly Liam said “Fuck, I forgot something. I’m going to have to go back to the store!” 

Louis sat up, putting his glass down. “Really Liam? Just go without it, we can make it through the night without whatever it is. I know we have a lot of food, you shopped.” But Liam looked panicky, and Louis decided it would be better to back down. “If you really feel you have to, go ahead. Do you want me to finish fixing dinner while you go?” 

“Let me check one more time before I go,” Liam said, and Louis got up, going back into their tiny kitchen space that now had three people wedged in it. Liam started going through the pantry, and Louis shot a look over at Hurley, who just shook his head. “No, I need another can of tomatoes. I’m sorry, I’ll be right back.”

“Go to the Quik Mart, I think the supermarket’s already closed for Sunday,” Louis said and Liam nodded. Then he leaned in and kissed Louis softly before pulling away. “Okay, be right back.” Then he grabbed his keys and headed out the door. 

Hurley looked over at Louis and shook his head. “He always was a worrier.” Louis nodded and turned off the burner-the onion and garlic was looking a bit charred on the edges. “Thanks for having me over,” Hurley said. “I can tell you probably wish I wasn’t here.” 

Louis didn’t say anything at first, he just moved the frying pan over to a cool burner. Then he turned around to look at Hurley. He was a decent looking guy, mostly his body but his face wasn’t bad either. After a minute, he said “Do you know how long it took for Liam to get over you? We got together fast, yeah, but it still took a while.” For the first few months of their relationship, Liam would talk about Hurley and Louis would just hold on to him and keep his mouth shut, not wanting to let on how much it hurt to hear about this. “He didn’t know if you had helped him or left him out to dry, and he was still in love with you.” 

Hurley met his gaze, didn’t drop it or look ashamed. Louis had to give him credit for that. “I couldn’t be what he needed,” he answered. “I’m glad you are,” Louis nodded and turned back to the stove, poking the onions with a wooden spoon. 

“He told me you would never kiss him on the mouth, is that true?” Louis looked back and Hurley was nodding. “You almost gave him a complex with that. He thought I was the greatest thing ever because I like kissing.” 

“I didn’t love him, so I couldn’t. You do that with someone you love.” Louis didn’t agree, but he could tell that Hurley was a brick wall on this subject, so he left it alone. “It’s just what I already said, I couldn’t.” Louis nodded at that. “Do you know what Liam told me about you?” Louis shook his head, even though he had a pretty good idea what it was. “He says you saved him.”

“Maybe,” Louis said, moving so he could lean against the counter. “I liked him right away, but I don’t know if I was in love with him, at first.” Louis’s actions-how quickly he tried to make Liam part of his life-were as puzzling to him sometimes as they were to Liam. “Maybe I just didn’t want someone else to have him. I don’t know.” 

“It’s okay,” Hurley said, and Louis shrugged. He wasn’t sure if it was, if he’d had any business meddling with Liam the way he did. “He loves you,” Hurley said next, and Louis nodded again, because he knew that. Liam loved to tell him. “I’m glad you told me this. I just wanted him to land somewhere, have a good life. I couldn’t give him that.”

“I know you couldn’t, not then,” Louis said, and he saw Hurley’s eyes widen slightly. “But now, here you are.” 

“Here I am,” Hurley said. “And I’m not taking Liam from you, Louis. You don’t have to worry about that.” Louis glared at Hurley, and again he didn’t look away. “I’ll find my own boyfriend, when I want. Probably far away from here.”

“Don’t be so sure about that, this town is a vortex for queers sometimes.” That got both of them laughing, and when Liam came bursting in with the tomatoes, things had thawed between them. 

…

Dinner went okay. Andy graciously accepted their attempt at a vegan meal (Liam blushed bright red when he forgot himself and passed the cheese), and they had some good conversation. Louis talked more than he had since Andy came over, and Liam and Andy caught up more. Andy had a lot of interesting things to say about working with youth, and how working them through trauma could be messy sometimes.

“Have your parents gotten in touch with you?” Andy asked Liam. Louis looked over at Liam, hoping he wasn’t upset. But Liam just shook his head. 

“They haven’t. I remember their phone number, if they haven’t changed it, but I haven’t called. My friend Niall lives there now, he said he called his mum. Maybe he gave her the number, I’m not sure. Honestly, I don’t think I want to know.”

“If we want to get a message through, we’ll just tell Niall to tell his mum. They live three houses down I think.” Louis had another bite of his pasta. Deep down, he was furious about Liam’s parents and the way they shut him out. But he tried not to say anything, since Liam seemed to want to go through this with a stoic face. He knew that Liam was as angry as him, but he refused to show it. 

“Maybe they’ll come around. If they do, they have a way to contact you.” Andy drank some of his Mountain Dew. He admitted that being vegan didn’t mean he didn’t like junk food, so they got some. “I told my mom, she patted my hand and said ‘I already knew that’.” Andy grinned. “She’s great.” 

“I miss my family, but being around Louis’s helps,” he said. “We usually spend all of Sunday there, but we only went for a bit today. Jo’s a great person.” Liam smiled, but it was a bit wistful. Louis knew his mom considered Liam another son, but that it never quite made up for him not having his own parents in his life. Oh well, it was the best they could do. Louis pushed his plate aside. He figured he’d had enough to eat. 

Andy finished his plate next, and took it to the kitchen, rinsing it off and putting it in the dishwasher. Liam put some music on, and Louis looked for something they could all have for dessert. All he came up with were apples and peanut butter, but nobody turned them down. Then after another hour or so, Andy hugged Liam, shook Louis’s hand, and headed out. 

…

“That went better than I thought it would,” Liam said later when they were getting ready for bed. Louis was brushing his teeth, so he just let Liam talk. “He said he’d be around for another couple of days, but we’ll be working.” 

“We can go out a bit, I suppose, have a beer while he has a Coke and talk,” Louis said when he spit his toothpaste out. He rinsed his mouth out and moved to the side when Liam came in behind him. “He’s not a bad guy, really.”

“I’m glad you two got along,” Liam said. After he brushed his teeth, he said “and you know, I didn’t think about doing…you know. Like we’ve done with Bob and Harry a couple of times.” 

Louis stood there stunned for a second. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t thought of that, but he hadn’t. When he recovered, he just said “Yeah, I wouldn’t want to. I don’t know Andy that way, and I think he would have said no if you’d brought it up.” Louis would have said no, he knows that part. He might even have thrown a glass to help make his position known.

“Yeah, I know you were really quiet when Andy first turned up. I’m glad you realized that things were gonna be okay,” Liam was behind Louis now, holding him by his hips. “You don’t have to worry, you know. About me taking off with him or something like that. I like being with you.”

Louis blinked at the sweet tenderness of it, then tried to cover his feelings. “Well you should, we work well together.” He could feel Liam chuckle against his neck, and he tried not to react to it. “Andy’s all right. I had to get used to him.”

“I know, that’s why I faked having to get that can of tomatoes.” Louis turned to look at Liam just as he burst into laughter. “I’m sorry. But I knew you’d either end the jealousy or pick a fight with him. And I voted on the first more than the second.” 

“You idiot, leaving me alone with your ex when you knew I was mad,” Louis said, but he couldn’t really get offended. “Well, I wasn’t going to attack him because I’m pretty sure Andy could shove my head up my own ass. But you’re right, he is a decent guy, really.” Louis still didn’t know how he felt about Andy starting up with a lower-ranking Liam, but he didn’t think now was the time for that discussion.

Liam leaned down so he could brush his lips against Louis’s. “He is. And I feel better knowing he tried to help me. Okay, let’s go to bed, we have work in the morning.” Liam walked back to their bedroom, but Louis killed time a bit, cleaning his face and getting ready before joining Liam in bed. When he got there, Liam was on his side. Louis spooned up behind him and put a hand on Liam’s stomach. Liam put his own hand over it. 

“Night Lou. Love you,” Liam said, and Louis nuzzled Liam in response. “Let’s sleep.” 

“Okay,” Louis said. He thought about Andy again, briefly, but then Liam turned out the light and Louis just curled up with his lover. He was lucky, it was good to be reminded sometimes. 

“Love you too,” he said, almost as an afterthought. Liam giggled a bit, and soon after, Louis heard him start to snore.


End file.
